From Tony Durkin 

JUNIOR WINS: Dominic Manning has announced himself as Headland’s next outstanding junior golfer, winning his first A Grade event at his home club. The 12-year-old, who has been ‘adopted’ by fellow lefty, Club Patron Simon Whittle, and encouraged by another, one-marker Jack Hourn, returned his equal-best Headland round of 78 on Saturday, to win the Men’s Single Stableford with 38 points. Playing from the blue tees off a handicap of eight, Dom started shakily with four successive bogeys, but then settled to play the following 14 holes in just two over the card. For the Grade 7 Pacific Lutheran College student, it was his third Headland round of 78 from the blue markers, and his new GA handicap is an all-time low of 7.8. Dom enjoyed a stellar 2025, winning the SBG Junior Order of Merit and along the way collected more than $800 in Drummond Golf vouchers. And he used that bonus to buy a Scotty Cameron putter, which he wielded for the first time in Saturday’s round. “Apart from a three-putt at the second, the putter worked very well,” declared Dom, who birdied the 11th hole during his round which also included a steady seven bogeys and 10 pars. 

NO MIRACLES: When he arrived for golf on Saturday with rain falling and a strong wind blowing, Greg Stray decided he would attempt no miracle shots. “It’s been at least 12 months since I played to my handicap, so I chose to be a bit more prudent and take my medicine where it was needed,” he confessed. And the strategy worked a treat – Greg scored 43 points to win B Grade and return the best score in the Men’s Single Stableford field of 176. His card revealed two birdies, eight pars and seven bogeys, with his only ‘stray’ a wipe at the par-four fourth. “I was probably guilty of attempting a miracle shot there,” Greg admitted. “My errant drive finished on the eighth fairway, and I didn’t have a clear shot to the green. I tried to cut it around the tree line, but that attempt failed – badly.” The recently retired IT Systems Manager revealed that ‘out of the blue’ his swing has been feeling better, and his driver – generally – worked well on Saturday. “Since retiring I’m still only playing on Saturdays, but I’m keen to play more golf. Hopefully that will help my consistency,” he said. Schoolboy Dom Manning (38 points) won A Grade and Deon Breytenbach (40) won C Grade. 

GOLF KINDNESS: Former Melbourne Events Manager Bron Davis has been blown away by the compassion shown her by fellow Headland members. “Honestly, I cannot believe how many encouraging messages I have received,” said Bron following her fourth visit to the Women’s dais in just three weeks. Recently granted membership after being on the waitlist for more than two years, Bron scored plus two in Thursday’s Single Par event, winning Division Two with the best score in the field of 63. That victory followed two wins within two days in late February, and a second placing the following week. “The muscle memory is obviously working,” Bron reflected, with six plusses and four wipes on her Thursday card, which revealed a score of plus two. And she made special mention of her playing partner, long-term member Jenny Ingham. “Jenny was so encouraging, and her positive presence really helped me relax,” she praised. “And that wonderful reassurance is indicative of the support I have been shown since I started playing here.” As well as winning, Bron – who moved to the Sunshine Coast in 2022 from Barwon Heads on the Victorian surf coast – also scored her second NTP shot in three weeks. Julie Halliday (plus one) was Thursday’s Division One victor. 

CLINT’S GLINT: When he was sitting at six-over the card on Thursday after 15 holes, retired Corporate Chartered Accountant Clint Adams had a victory glint in his eye. “I thought ‘I can win this’,” the 11-handicapper told HH. “I then finished with two bogeys and a double, and reckoned I’d blown it.” But five points in those final three holes proved beneficial, with his 38 points enough to win the Men’s Single Stableford, and pocket $110, his biggest purse as a five-year member. Armed with a new set of Srixon irons recently acquired from the Pro Shop, the former Indooroopilly member penned two birdies and seven pars for the majority of his points, and revealed he never usually plays on Thursdays. “I typically play Wednesdays and Saturdays, but after three washed out days early in the week, I was lucky enough to score a spot on Thursday,” he explained. Clint’s last win came in October last year, when he scored 41 points to win the B Grade Saturday Stableford. 

COURSE PRAISED: Leeanne Ptak was amazed at the state of Headland following last week’s heavy rain, which resulted in the course being closed for three days. “Considering how much rain we have had, I thought the course stood up very well,” said Leeanne after a first and second placing within two days. “There was a strong wind on Saturday, but that helped cool things, and made conditions very comfortable.” Leeanne scored 36 points in Saturday’s Single Stableford to beat Narelle Hollowood on a countback, which followed her plus one score in Thursday’s Single Par, this time beaten on a countback by Julie Halliday. “Things have begun to turn around after a sluggish start to the year. I hadn’t even won anything in the rundown until Thursday,” she said. However, Leeanne did help Headland win the Kangaroo Cup two weeks ago, teaming with Odette Day to beat their Caloundra opponents 3&2 in matchplay. A birdie at the par-three eighth hole on Saturday was the highlight of Leeanne’s winning round, and was one of two four-pointers on her card. 

WINNING ACE: Those Headland members who know Justin Walsh – and that’s just about all of us – appreciate that ‘Juddy’ can spin a good yarn. But one of his most recent anecdotes was obviously among his best, because it resulted in the 33-year member becoming the owner of the new TaylorMade Qi4D Driver. An avid listener to the afternoon Rush Hour on Triple M Brisbane, the Managing Director of Walsh Consulting Engineers – which has sponsored the Sunshine Coast Amateur Open at Headland for the past 26 years – Justin was tempted to call the radio station when listeners were asked to relate their best hole-in-one story. “The prize was the new TaylorMade driver, which I had been eyeing off, so I thought ‘why not?’” he relayed to HH. The story involved a round of golf at Headland back in 2022, when Justin and Coralie played with their neighbour, Burgess Stephenson, and Coralie’s dad, Don Follent. “We came to the par-three 14th, Coralie took driver from the women’s tees, hit the ball straight down the middle and after a couple of bounces, it disappeared into the hole,” Justin told the radio hosts. “Naturally excited, Coralie bounced about, turned around to us three guys were her hands raised, obviously awaiting high fives, which weren’t forthcoming. She looked at me as much as to say ‘aren’t you going to congratulate me? I just said: ‘I’ve aced this hole’. Burgess shrugged ‘so have I, and Donny followed suit.” And while conceding they all had aced the 14th, but were simply boys ‘just being boys’ with their lack of excitement, Justin said they did celebrate Coralie’s milestone in the Headland clubhouse when the round was completed. After being fitted by Head Pro Adam Norlander for the new driver a few weeks ago, the ‘prize’ arrived in the post on Friday from TaylorMade HQ.

MIXED FOURSOMES: Entries for the 2026 Headland Mixed Foursomes Championship have closed, with 41 pairs entered for this coming Saturday’s event. But reigning Champions, Josie Ryan and Sean McGill, are not among the list of entries for the Championship, which will be sponsored for the fifth successive time by members Erik and Tove Larsen, of Cirlock. Some absentees this year, including Sean who has won the title four times with Josie, have deflected an intriguing perspective on the prestigious title. Josie will now team with one-marker Jack Hourn, while respective Club Champions Adam Richards and Lisa Ramen will form a daunting pairing with Adam’s 2024 winning partner, Sharon Purnell, also unavailable. Other pairings expected to bring a strong showing in the 36-hole event include Adam Rydwanski and Vicky Sheridan, Shane Muller and Robyn Muir and Kate Wilkie and Brenton Liaropoulos.

SIMPLY THE BEST: Each week in 2026, HH will name our ‘Simply the Best’ golfer, an ‘award’ introduced to recognise the club’s low-handicap members. This week the award goes to one-handicapper Dan Diachkoff, who shot par 72 from the blue tees in Saturday’s difficult conditions. Dan fired four birdies, 10 pars and four bogeys in his round, scoring 37 points to finish third in A Grade. He joins Jack Hourn (three times), Adam Rydwanski and Wayne West (both twice) and Adam Richards and Glenn Walker as STB winners in 2026.

WEEKLY RESULTS: 

Tuesday, Single Stableford (course closed, no competition played).

Wednesday, Men’s Mid-Week Medal – sponsor, Ryan Tomlinson, Century 21 on Duporth – (course closed, no competition played). 

Thursday, Women, Single Par – sponsors, Sandy Whittle, Patrice Jenkins, Karry Longworth and Gwen Nancarrow – (63 players) – Division One, Julie Halliday (plus one), Leeanne Ptak (+1), Gay David (square); Division Two, Bron Davis (+2), Patrice Jenkins (+1), Denise Hutchinson (-1).

Men, Single Stableford (78 players) – Clint Adams (38 points), Jonny Clarke (37), Nev Kenzler (37).

Saturday, Single Stableford – sponsor, Chris Pace, McGrath Estate Agents, Buderim – Women (20 players) – Leeanne Ptak (36 points), Narelle Hollowood (36), Annabel Harris (34).

Men (176 players) – A Grade, Dom Manning (38 points), Nev Daniel (38), Dan Diachkoff (37); B Grade, Greg Stray (43), Col Pledge (38), Andrew Nairne (38); C Grade, Deon Breytenbach (40), Kurt Lawlor (40), John Halbert (37).

Juniors, nine-hole Stroke, Finn Darlison (38), Edward Gibson (41), Billy Roderick (46), Cohen Cason (54).

Sunday, Medley Single Stableford (58 players) – Brett Burgess (41 points), Michael Rutledge (40), Max Pasterfield (39).